In typesetting by hand compositing, a sort is a piece of type representing a particular letter or symbol assembled with other sorts bearing additional letters or lines of type to make up a form from which a page is printed. Lead pieces or strips provide necessary spacing between sorts.
Current chase lock typesetting or letterpress achieve and maintain alignment using quoins, which are wedges or expanding mechanical devices used for locking a letterpress form into a chase. Alternatively, a completed unalterable “work-up” is fitted to a block for use. Such devices require multiple components to create a work-up, or limit the work-up to a single set-up. This requires a large number of pieces for which an operator must have an ability to effectively employ them. This requires much practice to acquire the required special skills to do such printing, making manual relief printing less accessible to the lay person and hobbyist.
Various devices are available to typesetting printing. But all have their limitations. For example, typical typesetting printing devices require the printing type or sorts to be assembled by the user using the actual printing face, which is a mirror image of what is actually printed.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a typesetting device which allows a user to easily set the sorts or type without the need of the use of mirrors or without viewing a mirror image of the image to be printed.
Another object of the invention to secure sorts within a grid which does not require the use of spacers or quoins.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a typesetting apparatus and method that allows the user to see the image of what actually will be printed as the printing sorts are arranged on a grid, rather than a mirror image.
These and further objects will be readily apparent when considering the following disclosure